When anyone is looking to gain weight, whey protein is usually at the forefront of their supplement arsenal. Whey protein has been at the cornerstone of the supplement industry since the early years, as way back as the infamous Arnold days; but why? Well, it’s convenient, anabolic in its nature, provides extra usable calories to the body, helps recovery after exercise, and can be used as a fuel where a meal cannot always be eaten.
Whey protein, for what it is, is also relatively cheap. It is not uncommon to be able to buy 2kg for around £30, of course this will all depend on quality, flavour and other added ingredients. What is worth mentioning now is that there are many types of whey protein on offer, and for the benefit of this article we will look to focus on whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate, the two most popular sources of whey protein.
Concentrate: low in fat, high in protein, but higher also in carbohydrate compared with isolate, higher in lactose, moderate absorption rate, high levels of bioactive compounds. Cheaper than isolate look at gold standard whey.
Isolate: higher in protein, low in fat, low in carbohydrate, quick absorption rate, lower in bioactive compounds due to processing to remove lactose, more expensive than concentrate try cytosport whey isolate.
Both whey proteins have a use, isolate is better post workout due to it being lower in lactose, fat and for its quick absorption rate. Not to say concentrate is not good post workout, but whey protein isolate is better. Whey proteins with whey protein concentrate in are great for shakes that are taken during the day for health benefits, and to increase calories. This enables you to take advantage of whey protein concentrates bioactive compounds, pro-biotice properties and nutrient complex.
Both whey proteins hold the benefits that they are high in the amino acids leucine, iso-leucine and valine. These are called branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s). Which are the essential aminos for working muscles during exercise, hence why whey proteins ideal use in weight training men and women. These amino acids are also anabolic due to their role in exercise, another reason why whey protein is ideal in the weight trainer’s diet. Leucine, one of the branched chain amino acids, is also highly anabolic, in fact the most anabolic amino acids, accelerating the rate at which leucine oxidation occurs, a marker for the anabolic process. More leucine can equal more muscle growth, so another positive tick in the box for whey protein.
So in an ideal world which one would you choose? Well if your whey protein is just for use post workout then I would opt for a whey protein isolate, or one with both isolate and concentrate in. After all you want to benefit from the fast absorption rate of whey isolate after a workout. If your shake is for general use (multi-purpose), then definitely get one with both isolate and concentrate, concentrate seems to be essential if you want both the health benefits of whey and the anabolic nature of whey.
